I think what made Lukas special lies in his nickname “The Coach”. It takes a special kind of leader, a special kind of mindset to be in a leadership role and be darn good at it for the entirety of life. I think that’s precisely why so many of his assistants have gone on to be great trainers themselves- They were not just a second hand employee, but adopted family that he took great pride in teaching and had the patience to do so. That leadership and old school mentality that is so lacking today could be seen in his immaculately kept barns on the backside. And in his advanced age, despite the lack of big name/big money fueling his stable, his immense talent in finding that talented youngster and bringing them along to shock the world was still inspiring.
I didn’t realize that he had runners in on Saturday, but his final Grade 1 runner was Ashcroft in the Stephen Foster, sadly he finished last.
There is a lot of focus on his career in the 1980’s where his annual winnings approached 18 million in some years, but I think some of his best horses came in more recent years. When the limelight was no longer on him, his stable much smaller, his ownership groups no longer the biggest names.
Will Take Charge
Seize the Grey
Secret Oath
Bravazo
Mr Z
Warriors Club
Sporting Chance
Last Samurai
Just Steel
Oxbow
Optimizer
Lemon Muffin
Take Charge Brandi
Strong Mandate
